Upper securing device for tension screens



June 10, 1952 D. J. RUST ET AL ,5

UPPER SECURING DEVICE FOR TENSICm SCREENS Fild June 11, 1951 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 INVEI'I'ORS David J. Rusi Jack J-LJenscz;

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ATTORNEYS June 10, 1952 D R T E AL 2,599,725

UPPER SECURING DEVICE FOR TENSION SCREENS Filed June 11, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mvzu-rons .Davui JRusZ Jack J[ Jensen ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE e f 2,599,725 UPPER SECURING DEVICE FOR; TENSION 1 i SCREENS David Jordan, Rust and Jack H. Jensen, San

Leandro, Calif.,assignors to Ry-Lock Company, Ltd., San Leandro, Calif., a corporation Application we 11,1951, Serial No. 231,016

In frameless or tension type window Screens,

a section of wirecloth is fitted at the corresponding ends with a top cross bar and a bottom cross bar; the top cross bar being secured to the window frame by transversely spaced upper securing devices, and the bottom cross bar being secured to the window frame by transversely spaced screen tensioning devices. a I I I The present invention is directed to, and it is the principal object to provide, an upper securing device-Jor thepurpose described of improved construction; such device being designed for ease and economy of manufactura and convenient installation. I W l A further important object of the invention is to provide an upper securing device which is readily manually releasable whereby, without the use of tools, the top cross bar, and consequently the screen, can be detached from the window frame at the top of the latter for cleaning, repair, or the like. The tensioning devices at the bottom of the screen also permit the screen to be released so that it may be wholly detached and removed from the window frame.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an upper securing device, for tension screens, which is simple and compact in structure, sturdy, and without parts likely to be damaged.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable tension screen with wooden cross bars, and one which will beexceedingly eifective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims. e

In the drawings: 2 I

Fig. 1 is an inside elevation of a tension type window screen whose. top. cross bar is secured to the window frame by upper securing devices embodying the present invention- Fig. 2 is a fragmentarysectional elevation on line 22 ofFig.1..-

Fig. 3 is a plan viewofone of said uppersecuring devices in its latched or operativeposition.

Fig. 4 is a similar view. but shows the. device unlatched for release of thetop cross ,bar. i

Referring now morejparticularly to the char- '3 Claims. (Cl. 160-328) 2 acters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a sectionof wire cloth of a tension type window screen, which screen includes a bottom cross bar 2 and a top cross bar 3 secured to corresponding ends of said section of wire cloth. I

In the present embodiment, the bottom cross bar 2 and top cross bar 3 are shown as of wood, with the adjacent end portions of the section I of wire cloth folded double, as at 4, and hookengaged in inclined full length slots 5 cut into the cross bars from the back side.

The top cross bar 3 is detachably secured to the header or top blind stop 6 of the window frame 1 by a pair of transversely spaced upper secured devices, each of which is indicated generally at 8, and which devices embody the present invention.

The bottom cross bar -2 is secured to the side blind stops 9 of the window frame 1 by transversely spaced tensioning devices, each indicated generally at Ill, connected between the ends of said bottom cross bar 2 and the corresponding side blind stop 9. Each tensioning device [0 includes a swingable cam lever I I bracket-mounted in connection with the related blind stop 9 and swingable from a lowered screen tensioning position to an upstanding released position; such cam lever working in a channel member I2 affixed to the bottom cross bar 2 and being releasable from said channel member when the lever is swung upwardly to its released position. In this manner the bottom cross bar .2 is detachable from the window frame.

As each of the upper securing devices 8 is a duplicate of the other, a description of one will suflice for both.

1 Each of the upper securing devices 81 comprises ahorizontal transversely elongated attach ment plate l3 which abuts, at its, inner-edge, against the top cross bar 3 from the inside of the screen; such, attachment plate l3 including a central tongue I4 which projects inwardly into a groove l5 formed in said top cross bar. The tongue M is retained in the groove I5 by means of a vertical nail or pin l6 driven downwardly in the top cross bar 3 from its upper edge, with said nail or pin projecting through a transversely elongated slot l! in the tongue [4. This retains the tongue l4 against escape from the 3 groove l and maintains the rear edge of the attachment plate I3 in abutment against the top cross bar 3.

The slot I1 is elongated so that exact longitudinal location of the nail or pin 16 is not necessary prior to driving of said nail or pin.

The horizontal attachment plate 13 is affixed, as above, to the back side of the top cross bar 3 a distance below its upper edge such that when said cross bar is in abutment from the front with the header or top blind stop 6, said attachment plate lies closely adjacent but spaced below said header or top blind stop.

The numeral It indicates an elongated horizontal latch finger which normally extends lengthwise in overlying relation on the attach,

ment plate l3; such latch finger being swingable from such normal position, as in Fig. 3, outwardly to an open position, as in Fig. l.

The mounting of the latch finger I8 is as follows:

At one end said latch finger I8 is formed with an elongated slot l9, and a headed pivot pin 26 extends through said slot from above, being affixed to the attachment plate is whereby said latch finger is not only capable of swinging between its closed and open positions, but may also slide lengthwise to a limited extent.

At the end opposite the elongated slot It, the latch finger l8 includes a depending latching tab 2! which normally engages, as in Fig. 3, against the end of the attachment plate l3 opposite the pivot pin 20, and against an inwardly facing catch shoulder 22 formed by a nub 23 which projects from the outer portion of the related end of said attachment plate. In this position of the parts, the pivot pin lies in the inner end portion of the elongated slot IS.

The attachment plate [3 is releasably secured to the header or top blind stop 5 from the underside thereof by a headed screw 24 threaded thereinto; such screw engaging above the head in a notch formed in the attachment plate l3 intermediate its end and opening to its free edge.

The latch finger I8 is recessed intermediate its ends and from its inner edge, as at 26, to clear said screw 24 when the latch finger is in its normally closed or latched position, as in Fig. 3. Thus, the latch figer l8, being normally incapable of swinging motion, effectively maintains the screw 24 in the notch 25, holding the top cross bar 3 in position in the window frame abutting the header or top blind stop 6.

When it is desired to detach the top cross bar 3 from said header or top blind stop E3, the latch finger I8 is first shifted lengthwise in a direction to clear the latching tab 2| from the shoulder 22 of the nub 23 and then such latch finger I8 is swung outwardly to open position, as in Fig. 4. This permits the attachment plate 13 to be removed from the screw 24 whereupon the top cross bar 3 is free of the window frame. As previously pointed out, the tensioning devices Ill permit the bottom cross bar 2 to be released and detached so that with release of both of the upper securing devices 8, the window screen can be wholly removed from the window frame for cleaning, repair, or the like.

At the end adjacent the depending latching tab 20, the latch finger I8 is slightly domed, as at 21, with the height of such domed portion approximating the thickness of the head or pivot pin 20. The purpose of this feature is to assure that each upper securing device 8 is maintained 4 level during installation and also thereafter. The head of the pivot pin 20 and the domed portion 21 both abut the header or top blind stop 6 from the underside when the device is in use on a window frame.

A finger tab 28 depends from the free edge of the attachment plate I3 to facilitate manipulation of the device during initial installation thereof, and for subsequent release or re-attachment of said device.

While each securing device 8 i here shown as attached to a top cross bar 3 of wood, the device may be used on tension screens having a metal top cross bar; this being accomplished by modifications of the securing tongue l4.

With the described upper securing device, the top cross bar of a tension type window screen is releasably secured to the header or top blind stop of a window frame in a very practical and reliable manner; the device not only being easy to install but subsequently can be readily manipulated.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of th invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. An upper securing device for releasable connection between the back side of the top cross bar of a tension screen and the header of a window frame, said device comprising a horizontal attachment plate, means adapted to secure the attachment plate to the top cross bar projecting rearwardly adjacent but below the header, the attachment plate having a notch opening to the free edge of said plate intermediate its ends, a headed screw adapted to extend through the notch from below and into the header, a horizontal latch finger, a vertical pivot pin connecting the latch finger at one end to the corresponding end portion of the attachment plate for horizontal swinging between a closed position overlapping the notch outwardly of the screw and an open position clear of the notch, the attachment plate being formed at the end opposite the pivot with a laterally projecting nub forming a shoulder facing but spaced from the top crossbar, and a latching tab depending from the latch finger and normally engaged behind said shoulder holding the latch finger against outward swinging motion; and means mounting the finger for 10hgitudinal shifting movement relative to the pivot pin whereby to release said tab from the shoulder.

2. An upper securing device, as in claim 1, in which the latch finger is recessed from the inner edge and intermediate its ends so as to clear the screw.

3. An upper securing device for releasable connection between the back side of the top cross bar of a tension screen and the header of a window frame, said device comprising a horizontal attachment plate, means adapted to secure the attachment plate to the top cross bar projecting rearwardly adjacent but below the header, the attachment plate having a notch opening to the free edge of said plate intermediate its ends, a headed screw adapted to extend through the notch from below and into the header, a horizontal latch finger on top of the attachment plate. the latter being elongated and said finger normally extending lengthwise thereof in overlapping relation to the outer portion of the notch. the screw normally projecting through the inner portion of the notch, an elongated slot in one end portion of the latch finger, a headed pivot pin 10 extending through the slot to connection with the attachment plate, a latching tab depending from the other end of the latch finger, and a shoulder on the adjacent end of the plate facing but spaced from the top cross bar; said tab normally engaging said shoulder and being held against outward motion, and the tab releasing from the shoulder upon longitudinal sliding motion of the finger in one direction.

DAVID JORDAN RUST. JACK H. JENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 595,277 Winslow Dec. 7, 1897 1,537,870 Nester May 12, 1925 1,798,833 Campbell Mar. 31, 1931 2,467,032 Hill Apr. 12, 1949 

